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Fair Value Measurements Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 28, 2014
Dec. 29, 2013
Reported Value Measurement [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Cash equivalents $ 61,450us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 $ 405,874us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Non-current cost method investments 4,264us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 3,387us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1]
Cash flow hedges asset 0us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 1,212us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Cash flow hedges liability 3,343us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 0us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Guarantees of franchisee loans 968us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 [2] 884us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 [2]
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Term A Loan, 2018 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 541,733us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermALoan2018Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 570,625us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermALoan2018Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Term B Loan, 2019 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 759,758us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermBLoan2019Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 767,452us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermBLoan2019Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Debentures, 7% [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 85,853us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_A7DebenturesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 84,666us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_A7DebenturesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Cash equivalents 61,450us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 405,874us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Non-current cost method investments 147,760us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1] 130,433us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1]
Guarantees of franchisee loans 968us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [2] 884us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [2]
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Cash flow hedges asset 0us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 1,212us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [3]
Cash flow hedges liability 3,343us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [3] 0us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Term A Loan, 2018 [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 540,717us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermALoan2018Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4] 569,555us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermALoan2018Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4]
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Term B Loan, 2019 [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 752,160us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermBLoan2019Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4] 767,452us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_TermBLoan2019Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4]
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Debentures, 7% [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure 104,250us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_A7DebenturesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4] 98,250us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wen_A7DebenturesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [4]
Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member]    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Non-current cost method investments   $ 0us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wen_ArbysRestaurantGroupIncMember
[1] The fair value of our indirect investment in Arby’s is based on applying a multiple to Arby’s earnings before income taxes, depreciation and amortization per its current unaudited financial information. The carrying value of our indirect investment in Arby’s was reduced to zero during 2013 in connection with the receipt of a dividend. See Note 6 for more information. The fair values of our remaining investments are not significant and are based on our review of information provided by the investment managers or investees which was based on (1) valuations performed by the investment managers or investees, (2) quoted market or broker/dealer prices for similar investments and (3) quoted market or broker/dealer prices adjusted by the investment managers for legal or contractual restrictions, risk of nonperformance or lack of marketability, depending upon the underlying investments.
[2] Wendy’s has provided loan guarantees to various lenders on behalf of franchisees entering into debt arrangements for new restaurant development and equipment financing. In addition during 2012, Wendy’s provided a guarantee to a lender for a franchisee in connection with the refinancing of the franchisee’s debt. We have accrued a liability for the fair value of these guarantees, the calculation of which was based upon a weighted average risk percentage established at inception adjusted for a history of defaults.
[3] The fair values were developed using market observable data for all significant inputs.
[4] The fair values were based on quoted market prices in markets that are not considered active markets.